A Client-Centered Approach is Your Ticket to Success

A major element of professionalism for realtors is taking a client-centric approach. I think it’s key to your continued success in this business. 

This element is very near and dear to my heart: If you’ve read any of my other guides or listened to any of the Connect, Practice, Track, and Grow podcasts, we are all about relationships and being client-centered at ROOST. 

So, what does the client-centric approach mean? 

• Professional realtors prioritize the needs and interests of clients above their own by actively listening to clients, understanding their goals, and working diligently to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

Professional realtors don’t just prioritize their client’s needs and interests above their own; they have a fiduciary duty to their clients and make an effort to understand. Of course, I believe most realtors work diligently to achieve these outcomes, so this may sound like boilerplate language to you. 

A lot of realtors, myself included, feel confident that we know what’s best for the client. 

We feel like we have all the answers because we’ve done this a million times, and we know everything is going to play out – or at least we think we do.

As a result, we may unconsciously project what we think is going to happen – or what we think should happen – onto our clients. Unfortunately, in some cases, our clients may get annoyed with this sort of behavior. After all, if you are working with a seller, you’re getting paid 6%. Because they are paying us for a service, we may be the experts, but we also have a responsibility to listen to them and ensure they feel like they are being heard. 

We don’t have to show our work at the first meeting, and we certainly don’t want to be in a position where we feel the need to be right or say “I told you so.” 

Instead, we must strive to understand their goals. From there, our job is to help them navigate the market appropriately. This is similar to when we have buyer meetings. When I talk to buyers, I assure them that we are going to give them access to every possible listing that will come on the market if it potentially meets their needs.

To not miss anything, we need to have a pretty broad search. The fact of the matter is that your home purchase is going to be more of a process of elimination versus a process of checking all the boxes and waiting for something to come up.

As realtors, taking the client-centric approach involves having the ability to acknowledge that your goal is to get them that beautiful eat-in kitchen, the massive fireplace, the great room, a fenced backyard, and so forth. 

Of course, we want to give our clients everything they could want, but the reality is we have to hear them. We have to ensure they know we’re providing every piece of information available, and we don’t ever want to make clients feel like we’re trying to steer them in a certain direction based on what we know to be available or hold them back. 

It may sound odd, but I believe we want to come across as almost paternal or maternal in our actions, guiding them without being overbearing and accepting their needs without attempting to get them to change their tune. 

The client-centric approach has a lot of different layers for a professional, but the key thing is that we hear them, we repeat what we’ve heard, and we make sure that we are on the same page instead of arbitrarily projecting what we think is right on our clients. 

It’s about empowering them to feel confident in asking for what they want and proving to them how we can deliver. 

Even if you come in with the best of intentions, sometimes the busy nature of this work kicks in and leads us to act in ways we typically wouldn’t – or know we shouldn’t. 

Realtors are busy for all the right reasons – and for all the wrong reasons. 

When working to build a stronger client-centric approach, here’s an example of situations to avoid. 

In situations when realtors feel under the gun, desperately need to make something happen to afford the next mortgage payment, have three listing appointments today when they’ve got a packed calendar of showing houses tomorrow, and don’t know how they’re going to get it all done, the pressure starts to settle in. 

When we’re under pressure, we’re more likely to try to cut to the chase, especially a new buyer or seller – or, sometimes, while negotiating a contract. 

We have to guard against this pressure. 

In my experience, trying to make the outcome go faster or fit the narrative we have in our heads based on our experience, we can give off the (often subtle, but not always) impression that we know what’s best, this is what you hired us for, and this is how we’re going to do it. 

Try to avoid taking the reins from your clients, even if you’re stressed, even if you’re busy, and even if you’d like to close that sale sooner. Make them feel heard, work with them on their terms, and you’re far more likely to work with them again or get a referral. If you put them off completely, you may never get a second chance. 

Final Thoughts

I think working by referral is the best way to stay booked and busy in this industry – but it has to center around our clients. By putting our clients and their needs first, we are better able to establish ourselves as consummate professionals and earn their trust. When you earn your client’s trust, you are more likely to work with them again and/or get a referral. 

A lot of people may gravitate toward this work for the wrong reasons. Quick money. Lots of money. Independence. But you can’t be successful in real estate if you aren’t excited about the prospect of working with people and helping them during a very important chapter of their lives. 

When your clients win, you win. 

When your clients trust you, you win. 

I don’t know about you, but I like winning. I like making my clients happy. I like knowing that, at the end of the day, I accomplished something that meets their needs instead of going with what I think they need. It’s not about me – and it’s not about you. It may be a hard pill to swallow because, as realtors, we are experts. We know the market, we know what to look for – but none of it matters if our client’s needs aren’t met. 

Put them at the center of everything you do, and watch your business grow.